The Ford GT40 Mk II was decidedly exotic in comparison to most American cars of the era (of course, that’s mostly due to its Anglo-American heritage and the help of Lola), but its 7.0-liter big-block was built of the same stuff as the Galaxies coming off Ford’s assembly lines back home—iron block, pushrods, and all. Still, there’s something magical about hearing it snarling, barely contained by the GT40’s rear bodywork.

The retro-modern Ford GT didn’t race, officially. All its track exploits were privateer efforts. That makes the original the last one to run in anger with Ford’s full blessing. And it’s part of what makes us so excited about the likelihood for a new Ford GT—one designed from the get-go to race at the highest level against the world’s best competition.